Page 78 of The Kraken Games

Would they make love tonight? Gods, he wanted to so badly… The thought tightened his balls, made his cock stir.

He got up, took the fish bones from her and threw them in the water.

When he came back and squatted on his tentacles next to her, Luna said, “Tell me about your family. You know my whole story, but I know nothing of yours. Do you have brothers, sisters?”

“Nah, just me. My mom had trouble conceiving.”

“And your dad? What’s his work?”

“He’s a marine scientist. Involved in the rehabilitation of the reef in Thedaka.”

“That’s such a worthy vocation. Does your mom work too?”

“Women don’t work.”

“Oh yeah, I forgot. Hana said as much. That’s kinda weird and old-school.”

“Not for us. It preserves the family bond.”

“Hmm. Don’t women get bored, looking after baby kraken and doing housework? Don’t they want more?”

“My mom is happy in her role. She’s always assisted my dad in his work behind the scenes. And she… she spent a lot of time helping me with my rehab when I was young.”

“She could have been a doctor then, or a physiotherapist.”

“Sure. In another culture.” The idea was novel.

Luna was silent for a minute. “I remember my mom and dad worked together. It always felt like they were equals. She’d repair sails, even climb the mast and rig them. She’d go diving for food just as much as Dad. And they’d bring up specimens of shells and plants, record things in these big books they had in their galley. She drew these amazing pictures of the plants and sea life, and Dad would do a lot of writing. I couldn’t read well enough to understand it, but he’d tell me things, and I loved looking at Mom’s drawings.”

“So you really don’t know what they were doing near Thedaka?”

“No, I wish I did. I’ve wondered so often about that. But I do know my parents were not involved in warfare, or bombs. They would never have done anything to hurt the life of the sea. They loved it too much. They would never have hurt you, Kai.” She turned and placed her hand gently on his tentacle. “You know that, right?”

He sighed. Watched her fingers walk higher, up to his shoulder. And when she moved in closer, he let his arm come around her, feeling the urge to wind his tentacles around her, bind her close. “Can I hold you?” he asked quietly. “With all of me?”

She made a little mewl of assent.

As he wound around her, his whole body felt like it was on high alert. He placed his lips on her hair, dared to plant the softest kiss on her crown.

Maybe she felt it, because she nestled in, murmured, “Being around you feels… kinda nice.”

“Wow!” He laughed shakily. “Is that because you know in three days I’ll be gone?”

“I reckon I couldjustmaintain a relationship for that long.”

“Three whole days! Careful now, that’s a pretty heavy commitment.”

He sensed her smirking. “Don’t get too excited or I’ll change my mind.” She glanced up at him, and he wondered if she could see the sadness in his eyes.

“That sounds more like the Luna I know.” He traced a finger over her face, her lips, his gaze panning her face. “You’re smiling…”

“Am not.” She bit his finger, took it into her mouth and softly nuzzled it with her tongue, and suddenly his whole body was on fire. Burning up for her.

He flipped her onto her back and she pulled him closer, her hands looping around his neck. He stared earnestly into her eyes in the moonlight. Her lips parted, her little tongue poked out, licking at her lips as she gazed at him. As if she wanted to eat him all up. Just the way he did her.

“I think we should get naked,” she murmured.

Kai needed no encouragement. They hastily shed their clothing and lay back down on the smooth rock.

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